VS2 Episode 14 Lifting the Veil
by MLVS Team
Summary: Episode fourteen of Moonlight Virtual Season 2. Episode by Evilous with the collaboration of the group.
1. Chapter 1

**Moonlight – Virtual Season 2  
Episode Fourteen – Lifting the Veil  
**Rating: M/NC17

**Writer: Evilous (with the collaboration of the group)  
**Beta'd: Writers Group

VS2 Writers Group includes Candomom, ClChen, Conni4, Evilous, Misfit, Mx wwmickd, Night Owl, Phantom Phoenix, Photosue and Sunny.  
With special thanks to Sun's grandma for correcting our Deutsch.

Disclaimer: Moonlight and its characters are owned by CBS and Warner Brothers. All use of Moonlight and its characters in this venue are for entertainment purposes and completed solely for the pleasure of Moonlight lovers. The original storylines and episodes have been created by the VS2 Writers and Discussion Group. We hope you enjoy.

* * *

Haze blanketed the night sky over LA and the moon shone with a dim haloed light over the patio near Josef's pool. Simone turned slightly from the view to accept the glass Josef pressed into her hand. "So how was Alaska? Did you discover anything new?"

_New? _Josef sipped his scotch thoughtfully before he answered. "No, not anything necessarily new, although the Legion followers are probably still licking their wounds." He gave her a little smile. "I think Mick and Oscar made them regret their visit to the land of the midnight sun." He stepped closer to push Simone's hair back from her shoulder, letting his hand linger near her cheek. "Of course, I had to step in to help."

"Of course you did." Simone rubbed her cheek against his hand, trying not to smile at his subtle bragging. "And Beth? How is she?"

"She's…" Josef hesitated, considering Beth's part in the running fight and her teary emotional state as she boarded the fishing boat to nowhere. "She's a fighter, that one. The whole situation is hard on her, but she's doing… alright." He quickly masked the twinge of guilt he felt at the white lie. Beth might have been all right during the brief reunion time she and Mick had shared but the heartbroken, blonde waif that left on the little boat was far from okay. "I made sure she and Mick had time alone."

"I can't imagine how she must feel." Simone was becoming distracted by Josef's gaze and the brush of his thumb against her lips. "Mick hardly said a word to me when I passed him on his way out. He's obviously not happy with you."

"He'll get over it." Josef barely shrugged, dismissing Mick's present feelings for him. "He knows we're doing what's best for Beth and for him."

"I'm sure he does, but the separation still has to be really hard for both of them." Simone glanced away toward the city lights. "He loves her, Josef."

"I know he does." Josef took her drink from her hand and set both glasses down before pulling her into his arms. "But he has to let me… us, do what needs to be done. The sooner he accepts that fact, the better."

"Right." Simone shook her head, disagreeing with a smile. "When I asked him how the trip went, he mumbled something about you and polar bears and… penguins. Do you want to explain that?"

"No." Josef gave her a quick kiss. "I've got better things to discuss with you than snack foods." He didn't give her a chance to disagree as he proceeded to show her how much he'd missed her.

MLMLMLMLML

He couldn't die, but the main reason why Gabriel still smoked long after death was the way the white smoke from his cigarette would become part of the night's heavy air. He liked watching it, especially when guarding the gate from the outsiders.

His attention was suddenly drawn to the odd couple approaching the gate to their city. One last drag and he started towards them.

"Looking for something?"

Oscar pointed with his head in the general direction of the underground city gate.

Gabriel looked to both sides before answering him in imperceptible vampire tones. "Do you have permission?"

"JK LA", Oscar answered in the same tones.

Gabriel accepted the reference and spoke in a normal tone for the human hear, too. "Follow me, please."

Their guide was a strange man - vampire, Beth corrected herself. Paler than the usual, he seemed overly dressed for the place they were entering. He tried to be polite and start some conversation, but his actions seemed condescending to her, almost as if she were a delicate doll that could break at any moment.

Gabriel accepted the reference and spoke in a normal tone so the human could hear, too. "Kommen Sie mit mir, bitte." _"Follow me, please."_

Speaking to Oscar, he continued, "Sie ist schön aber seit wann betrueen Sie Menschen?" _She's pretty but since when do you babysit humans?_

Oscar actually showed enough teeth that he could be said to smile, "Kapitalismus, Kamerad, ist was wunderbares – ich werde gut gezahlt." _Capitalism, Comrade is a wonderful thing, I'm well paid. _

Gabriell snorted his agreement, "Korrekt, und viel besser um sich zu kümmern um Atombombe." _Correct. and much more attractive then guarding atomic bombs._

OSCAR VO

_Perpetual coolness is the vampire's curse - even when hiding in the gutters._

Like bats, the ones living under the city of Berlin would cross the dark tunnels with an innate sense of direction. The deeper levels used to be the place where the Communist East met the Capitalist West. A place of betrayal and commerce. Like rats, we gather where the food was easier to find; and now in the 21st century where the wireless signal was stronger.

Small islands of high technology apparatus and light. The somber tunnels of the forgotten underground. Vampires from different classes and possessions divide the human unfriendly space, if not democratically, at least civilized enough. There is room for all kind of businesses and styles underground. Hidden from the daylight and prying human eyes, behind columns and old brick walls, vampires rule the entire city-like environment.

They have their own police and justice here; faster and harsher then the one practiced above them in the city. Anyone who mentions this place is condemned to death, anyone who would bring food and not take care of it afterwards as well. Being outside is fine, never being followed is primordial.

Darkness and light are used in our vampires - we never cross with the underground creatures, never touch fetid walls or step on the stale water from previous rains.

Oscar shook off these sentimental thoughts, the time when this was home.

Gabriel led them to a small apartment that had served as a maintenance room for one of the metro stops a long time ago. Two single beds and one couch that had seen better days where the only options. To the left, the unused bathroom reeked of mold, yet it was apparently clean.

"Comfy?" Gabriel asked the human with a hint of humor.

"Completely", Beth answered, not amused.

"Just for a night, Beth. You know the rules, right?", Oscar asked.

"Never, never say anything about this place to anyone." Gabriel completed Oscar's warning, trying to make it not sound like the threat that it was.

Beth nodded. At her current level of tiredness, she would agree that Santa Claus hid here if they would just stop talking and allow her to rest.

MLMLMLMLML

They were driving again, the states or maybe Canada, Beth didn't know. Riding in the back of a car jostling with every turn and bump made it hard for Beth to find any sleep. Finding any comfort in sleep was hard enough without Mick, being so far from home, not knowing what was happening; but trying to sleep like this didn't help.

Beth had become accustomed to the night more so than before; almost the opposite of BC, giving her all the highs of vampire life, now she felt all the lows. Spending so much time away from the sun, hiding in the dark had made her paler than before, the sun even began to hurt her eyes when forced into it.

Beth was helping Oscar find his meals, looking for drunks passed out in alleys, hookers down for anything if you're willing to pay. While she kept her eye out for his dinner he still found it hard to remember that Beth needed to eat. Reminding Oscar of her other needs was getting tiring as well. Having to ask to stop for rest rooms, have a drink or meal, she felt like a child on a road trip. If he told her to pee in a bottle it was over, you had to draw a line somewhere.

Tonight was just another day, since being forced once again to leave Mick she found herself having to fight just to keep moving. Getting mad didn't seem to work, no matter how much liquor Oscar gave her or how many things she learned about vampires it didn't matter all she felt was emptiness.

Spotting a hooker or low life scum bag was beginning to be too easy for her. Hanging out in bars at night, or locked in a cheap pay by the hour motel for some rest; always moving. Having had enough of trying to sleep for the time, Beth turned to face her lovely conversationalist and personal body guard, his constant stony appearance present as always.

"We need to stop." She informed him in a voice empty of her usual curiosity and life.

Oscar glanced into the rear view mirror for a brief second, "We have more ground to cover."

Growing tired of his constant disregard for her needs Beth sat close to his seat her voice full of malice, "I don't give a damn. I still have to eat and pee. I help you find your drunks and hookers, watch you eat. You can at least pull over for 30 minutes."

Looking at his watch, Oscar realized it had been over 7 hours since they last stopped; at least at a place that had sanitary conditions. So focused on their security he forgot her needs were more frequent than his. Since leaving Mick back in Alaska she had been much quieter than normal, she did what he said when he said no argument; sometimes it made his job easier others more often than not he forgot she had needs she was so quiet.

When they first started out on this mission she always had something to say about where they were going, questions about his life, vampires in general, anything she never seemed to shut up making her feelings and needs well known; now… nothing.

Deciding she was right he quickly pulled into the closest place he could find that looked safe enough.

MLMLMLMLML

It's late afternoon and Ben is in his office. His mind keeps circling back to his encounter with Myra, as he goes over the latest case to cross his desk. The victim is a 15 year old female runaway, cause of death is a bullet through the heart but the bite mark on her neck points directly to vampire involvement. Ben unconsciously rubs the bite mark still healing on his chest. _How am I supposed to steer this away from vampires when it is so blatant?_

He looks up to see Mick standing in the door of his office. He motions for Mick to come in.

Mick takes a seat across from Ben. "You sounded pretty cryptic on the phone."

Ben thumps the file down in front of him. "Any ideas on why this dead runway has a bite mark on her neck?"

Mick runs a hand down his face, _Leo. _"Actually yes, but let me handle it."

Ben quirks an eyebrow questioning Mick, "And how am I going to explain this away?"

Mick stands and moves for the door but turns at the last minute to smirk at Ben, "I'll let you know," and with that he is gone.

Ben threw down his pen. "Shit! We're supposed to be working together."

He didn't notice that Jackie had sauntered into his office. "Problems?"

Ben closed the file. "Just very few leads."

Jackie smiled but it didn't reach her eyes. "Isn't that always the way. I noticed wonder girl's boy toy leaving, is she expected back anytime soon?"

Ben had started packing up his files for the night. "No word, she did say it was an indefinite leave of absence," he snarked. Jackie just nodded, "Ok… ok." Ben crossed his arms looking at her pointedly. "What do you want Jackie?"

Jackie turned to leave but tossed back over her shoulder, "Since we used to be on the same team, just a friendly heads up… the lack of closed cases is beginning to be noticed," with that she left. They'd been closer than just team members. They'd gone out a more than few times, hitting it off, finding time to be together. Even though Jackie's full time job, full time mother made scheduling difficult. Then what! The vampire hunters, sicced a vampire on him and he couldn't get over being bitten. Ben slammed his briefcase shut and braced himself on the desk. "Friendly my ass," Talbot stopped before he cursed her, she just wanted justice. Once upon a time, so did him.

MLMLMLMLML

Blending, hats had become a regular part of the wardrobe; Oscar had tried to get her to ditch Mick's jacket, this she fought to keep. It was the only thing she had of his, that and the cheap plastic ring he got her when they were a case, before this mess started; when their problems were simple things like the need for a bed at his place. Beth decided it was time to take the disguise further, her signature blonde locks were easy to spot when hiding in the dark; she decided to change that temporarily.

Having Oscar stop in the store and buy some temporary hair color made the clerk look strangely at him and his bald head. Beth finished rinsing the residue from her hair looking into the mirror at the new her, "Goth Beth," with solid black hair. A change for sure. She almost didn't recognize herself, although frequently she saw a stranger in the mirror with each passing day with or without a new hair color. Finishing up her changes she popped in a pair of color contacts hiding her natural blue for brown; slipping on baggy boys clothes keeping Mick's jacket she walked out of the run down bathroom to see what Oscar thought of her new disguise.

The look of shock on his face almost made her smile, she was getting better at this if she could shock him. Taking the beanie she pulled her hair up under it pulling it low slipping on some shades she looked like an Emo band wannabe.

Oscar knew she was suffering, he had been trying to deal with her the best he could but he was not trained to handle an emotional human. His best guess was she was suffering post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), all he could do was try and remember her basic needs while he kept her safe. She had given up the constant barrage of questions about his past, how he knew Josef, what was going on with the Legion, vampires in general, she just stopped talking.

Now in St. Louis, they were going to find somewhere for Beth to sleep and him to grab a quick meal before moving on. Oscar planned to head to Tulsa Oklahoma to look up an old vampire he knew and respected years ago; someone he could trust. They had fought together before and Oscar knew he had no political ties and a reputation back in the day for going against authority just to prove no one owned him.

"I saw a good spot on the way to the drug store, had a bunch of good candidates. Most of them should be drunk off their ass in about another hour, should be an easy score." The coldness in her voice almost disturbed him but at this point there was nothing he could do.

"Good, let's get you some food. There was Chinese, Italian, and fast food on the way in the choice is yours." Oscar hoped that giving her a choice instead of just taking her to one of them would give her something, she would have a choice for once even if it was something unimportant.

"I don't care." Oscar released breath giving up, he needed to feed.

MLMLMLMLML

It would be Mick calling. Logan was running low on supplies and Guillermo was two days late. He answered his phone with a groan.

"I need your help."

"Sure… you still making drops for G?" Logan asked, hopeful.

"Uh… Not today." Mick toyed with the mysterious device in his pocket.

"Well, it's gonna take me awhile to get up in the hills today…"

"No… my place in the city"

"Oh…" Logan realized this was a top secret kind of 'help' for Mick, something not trusted to the mansion. Everyone knows that the loft would be the last place to find Mick. "I can be there in twenty minutes…"

Mick closed his phone and looked at his watch. He looked around his parking garage as he sat in the Ford Escort he had borrowed from a freshie. He had no desire to enter the loft alone, he could wait for Logan.

MLMLMLMLML

Logan pulled up next to the light blue Ford Escort. Mick was leaning against the driver side door, his arms crossed. Neither spoke as they walked to the elevator, remaining silent until they entered the loft. At the threshold of the door Mick stood his eyes half closed, a look of pain on his face. Logan waited patiently behind him, for the mood pass. A moment later, Mick led them to the office closing the door that adjoined the loft.

"I need you to look at this," Mick pulled the device out of his pocket and handed it to Logan.

"Where did you get this?" He sat down, excitedly looking over the device.

"Alaska."

"Whoa, this is…. Cool."

Mick sat down next to him, "I think they were using it to communicate, so we couldn't hear them. But I can't get it to work..."

Logan studied the mass of fine tangled wires and the small electronic devices attached, "It doesn't appear to be damaged…." He began mumbling to himself and moved to sit behind Mick's desk.

MLMLMLMLML

The sun had not quite set when Carmen was shown into Josef's office. With a snap of his fingers the office emptied, leaving only him and Carmen together. Carmen smirked as she took a seat. "You enjoy that way too much, Josef."

He poured to two tumblers of scotch handing one to Carmen. Giving her his impish grin, "Well when you've been around as long as I have it's the little things in life," he snarked. Carmen chuckled before taking a sip of her drink.

"So any new findings regarding the bombings?" Josef asked as he took a seat back behind his desk.

Carmen shrugged, "Nothing substantial."

Josef continued, "Legion activity here in L.A.?" Carmen took another sip of her drink, "From what we can gather it appears they are now targeting blood sources in the sex trades. Talbot's got a case right. A runaway was used as a shield by the vamp that was feeding on her."

Josef shook his head and downed the rest of his scotch. "We need to ensure he spins that case so we are not suspected."

Carmen nodded. "It looks like he is being pressured from both sides on this one."

Josef moved to refill their drinks. "With Oscar off the radar there is no way to gauge Legion movement around him," he stated disgustedly.

"Oscar knows what he's doing. Keep posting in the Financial Times, it will throw the Legion off. If Oscar needs help he'll contact us," she reassured him. Josef studied the liquid in his glass before knocking it back.

Carmen rose setting her glass on his desk and made for the door. "Josef," she threw back at him with a look over her shoulder as she walked out. "You just don't like when you're not completely in control."

MLMLMLMLML

Beth could tell Oscar was worried about her, or worried about what Mick might do to him if he brought her home in one piece but catatonic. He started talking to her, trying to engage her into some sort of conversation, inviting her to ask questions. She heard all he said, but never showed much recognition, answering questions as briefly as possible.

Oscar mentioned going to Tulsa and hiding out with an old friend of his for a couple days. More than one night in the same place never happened. They were always moving, the thought of an entire day without travel brightened her spirits slightly. She found herself wanting to know more for the first time since leaving Mick in Alaska.

"Who is your friend? Was he someone famous some centuries ago?"

Oscar smiled at the sound of her voice, she even got out two questions. "TJ hates authority, hates people telling him what he's supposed to do.

"Really, wow, TJ sounds like a good old boy." Beth was paying more attention now.

Oscar went on to tell her about 'vamp'. "The last time I saw him was in the 70's."

"I bet you vampires loved the hippies," Oscar did a double take did Beth just crack a joke.

"Depends on the vampire, I guess. We should be there in a few hours do you need to stop for anything?"

Beth felt her stomach growl and looked at Oscar, "A pit stop would be nice."

MLMLMLMLML

With Beth needs taken care of she had fallen asleep in the backseat for the rest of the ride. Oscar monitored her heart rate and noticed she didn't jump like she had every other time she slept, probably the best sleep she had since the night in the hotel with Mick.

Oscar reached in the back seat and woke Beth. She sat up quickly, "It's just me. We're here."

Beth nodded, rubbing her eyes and donning her cap beanie once more, slipping Mick's jacket which had served as her blanket back on. Beth looked around. _Big surprise it's pitch black. It looks like every other place we've had been._ Oscar pulled her towards an alley way and knocked on a large wood door.

After a moment of waiting the door opened and Oscar pulled Beth through, keeping her close at his side. A woman in a ragged tank top was standing just inside the door locking it quickly behind them; she looked tired and Beth could see the multiple puncture wounds on her neck and arms. She assumed the woman must be a freshie, although clearly not top shelf like the ones Josef hired.

Beth stayed close by his side as he always demanded. They made their way down the dark hallway, _You'd think even vampires would turn on a light_ Beth mused to herself. When they reached the doorway at the end of the hall there was just enough light for Beth to catch Oscar doing the vamp sniffy thing.

"What is it?" The way he squinted his nose Beth felt they might be leaving sooner than expected.

"Stay behind me."

Beth didn't argue with his command and stepped behind him. Oscar opened the door which was full of light and music, _'orgy music'_, Beth could see little children not even 11 years old sitting inside the room.

"So… the name is Oscar now… my friend, it's been ages." Vamp sniffs the air looking around Oscar to Beth, "I see you brought a snack."

"She's not a snack, this one is under my guard."

Beth tried to focus on calming her heart but the thought of this vampire thinking of her as a snack was not comforting. Oscar stepped forward towards his former friend taking in the scents in the room, disgust washing over his face. This was not the friend he knew long ago.

"I came to collect on a debt, we seek food and shelter for a night or two."

TJ looked over Oscar for a moment before waving his hand around the room, "Make yourself at home. I always repay my debts." Snapping his fingers two of the women seated beside his seat jumped up, "They'll show you to your quarters."

MLMLMLMLML

It was the kind of question he could have asked Beth to research, Ben Talbot thought for the umpteenth time. How many prostitutes, runaways and the homeless had been attacked or killed in the past decade? Were the numbers higher now that the Legion was attacking these vulnerable populations that some vampires fed on?

He only had Mick's word that the vampire nation frowned on killing the food. The cost of covering up accidental killings was beyond the means of any vampire who fed on the homeless. Was this how Beth felt, a single human in a vampire world… keeping vampire secrets…

Talbot picked up the phone "Carl."

…

"Yeah, I know you're busy."

…

"Can you find out if the recent shootings… prostitutes and runaways is usual? I know Carl, it's always too many…"

MLMLMLMLML

It was late, but Ben knew he couldn't sleep even if he did go home. He'd changed into jeans and a T-shirt. Talbot sat in a booth in the motel bar, drinking a cheap gin martini. Across the empty pool, he could see a brisk business taking place between prostitutes and their clients. _Are any of the "johns" vampires?_ Ben thought, watching as the doors to cheap rooms opened and closed.

It wasn't even a blink and there was Mick sitting across from Talbot in the booth.

"Well, Superman Mick, so you thought that you'd leave the fortress of solitude and drink with the mortals."

"It's better than drinking alone…" Talbot lifts his eyebrows at that last remark… Mick looks more presentable and he hasn't been stinking of scotch, like he had the last few times they've met.

"You're on the wagon…"

"You might say that… so why'd you want to meet. Don't tell me you have insomnia."

"If I go to sleep I dream… of vampires"

"Hot stuff…"

"Yeah… I keep wondering what more… would have been like. I also wonder if more would have been like Emma and Dominique. The human ends up dead."

"Where's this going Ben?"

"I'm having a hard time keeping the runaway shooting buried. ADA Benavides sees a sexual predator even though there is no evidence."

"Other than a couple of puncture wounds and you want to know if that's sexual? If the human is conscious… yes; if the vamp uses allure… some humans like it."

"The kid's blood alcohol was high enough to be unconscious… almost acute alcohol poisoning."

"I can guess… and that's all it is, a guess that it wasn't sexual. Are you still willing to help us?"

_There's no easy way to tell what is right and wrong here,_ Ben thought, [/i]humans feeding vampires is a victimless crime, until someone is hurt… so who is hurting who.[/i] "It's hard to tell the good guys from the bad guys."

Mick stares at Talbot, who holds his glance. It's Mick that looks away, thinking of the humans he's killed recently. "No human should die to feed us." _Why am I fighting this war,_ Mick asks himself, _am I fighting for vampires to live or am I fighting for Beth._

"What have you got?" asks Talbot.

"I found something in Alaska."

MLMLMLMLML

Mick discusses possible ways of tracking the Legion when he senses Katherine enter the bar. Ben follows Mick's glance, _Simmons? Yes, Katherine,_ watching her walk up to the table. Katherine smiled at Mick and he returned her a lop sided grin, "Katherine what brings you in to this fine establishment."

She chuckled, "One of my students works here and guilted me into coming in." Mick just shook his head, Katherine knew this was a mixed human/vampire establishment and was checking on the safety of her student.

Katherine turned her attention to Ben. "It's nice to see you again, Mr. Talbot."

Ben gave her a boyish smile. "Likewise, Ms. Simmons." Both were a bit awkward. Their last meeting had been under less than ideal circumstances. Katherine remembered how warm and understanding he had been when he took her statement. Ben was seeing her with different eyes this night, she was no longer a recovering kidnap victim but a beautiful alluring woman.

If Katherine could she would have blushed under Ben's hungry gaze. "Well… I better go find Heidi before she thinks I stood her up."

Ben watched her with appreciation as she moved away from the table. When Ben turned back Mick was sitting back with his arms folded across his chest, one eyebrow cocked. Ben just smirked, downing the rest of his martini. "What? She's a beautiful woman."

MLMLMLMLML


	2. Chapter 2

MLMLMLMLML

Once they were alone in an adequate room with a small twin bed and freezer, Beth pulled off her beanie and pushed her sunglasses on top of her head. Looking at Oscar who seemed to be acting as if it were business as usual Beth pressed her lips together tightly before saying, "What was that?"

Oscar turned to face her, "What was what?"

"There was a kid down there, Oscar, a kid," she stressed the last part.

"You should know by now not all vamps have the same moral code Mick or even Josef have."

"I know good vamps, bad vamps, but a child? How? Why does nobody say anything? I get that people are paid for their blood, but it's a child."

Oscar turns his back to her, he was disgusted with what his friend had become and he had no good answer for her. He started to take off his shirt setting it in a pile, "Not everything has a perfect explanation Beth. Things happen. You should get some sleep."

Beth turned as he unbuttoned his pants, she gave a huff and crawled into the bed taking off Mick's jacket and hugging it tight as she lay in the dark. Oscar could tell she was unsatisfied with his answer and that the child had truly bothered her. Part of him was glad to see her fired up about anything again, the other part knew it might only cause problems. He crawled into his freezer draping the hand towel over it as had been the compromise when he got naked to sleep. So she didn't get an eye full if she needed to wake him or even got up to pee. He settled back enjoying the feel of subzero oblivion, they would head out first thing after he fed.

*****

Beth found it difficult to sleep, her dreams filled with images of children being fed from, crying and begging for help. After waking the third time Beth was finished trying to sleep, she felt she had to at least try and help. Oscar was still asleep as she dressed; holding Mick's jacket over her arm it was a bit warm to wear spring was coming.

Beth knew Oscar would lecture her later about leaving his side she would just have to endure that. She walked out of the room shutting the door quietly behind her.

Wondering the unfamiliar dark hallways of an unfamiliar vampires place seemed like a bad idea even to her. Going to the first door with light under coming from the crack beneath she slowly opened it hoping to find the kitchen and not anything...else.

At first, Beth didn't see anything inside the room besides a large bed surrounded by a canopy of curtains. Realizing it was a bedroom and not the kitchen, Beth began to close the door, thankful she hadn't disturbed anyone, when a chilling voice made her jump, "Do come in."

Beth recognized the voice from when TJ and Oscar had exchanged words earlier. Unsure what to do, she stood in the doorway frozen. Did she go in and chat with the vampire who feeds from innocent young children without a care in the world, or did she run back to Oscar and hope that she is fast enough. Deciding that running from a vampire was probably had the least favorable outcome she stepped inside slowly looking around the room until she spotted TJ sitting back in one of the leather chairs with pen in hand.

"I didn't mean to disturb you, I was looking for the kitchen."

TJ set the pen aside folding his hands in his lap, "Not at all. I always have time for a beautiful young woman such as yourself."

Beth felt a wave of nausea wash over her, he made her hair stand on end, hearing his voice knowing what he did made her sick. She had to say something to him consequences be damned she knew she had to say something if she was going to be able to look at herself in the mirror after they left this place.

"You feed on children." It was blunter than she anticipated but she was too tired to care.

TJ gave a chuckle at her boldness, he could smell her fear and anxiety but yet she had a fierce determination to her. _Oh, how sweet she will taste_, he thought to himself as he sized her up. "I'm a vampire," was his only excuse.

Beth crossed her arms in front of her, Mick's jacket still hanging over them, "I may not know everything about vampires and freshies, but I know about the arrangement. You pay them to feed you, but children don't understand enough to make that kind of decision."

TJ burst into a fit of laughter pushing up from his seat and walking to Beth, he began to circle her. He could hear her heart rate increase the closer he got, but she showed no other signs of fear though, he was quite impressed. "I see you have only a small piece of the puzzle. I can take what I want without paying a dime, I can make them want me to feed from them. I give them shelter when the world has been cruel. These children you worry about had nowhere else to go, they came to me and I saved them."

Beth felt like a deer caught in headlights as he circled her, she wanted to scream for Oscar, to run from the room but she couldn't make herself move or speak. When his hand touched her shoulder and ran down the length of her arm pulling it up towards him she wanted to jerk it away but she couldn't. She felt as if she was watching what was happening from above, an out of body experience where she had no control over her body.

TJ held her arm up to his mouth scenting it, sensing not only his old friends scent on her but the fainter scent of another vampire, one who marked this one. He turned over her wrist and saw the faint pink scars of a bite left behind and caressed them with his tongue. Beth wanted to scream, his disgusting mouth touching her, touching a place Mick had touched. "See, you want this. I think you might even enjoy a new biter," he clicked his teeth.

Beth thought back to Mick, to the time in the desert when he was dying and she saved him. When they first made love, all the times they made love, all the times he bit her, all the times he saved her, as she felt the white hot pain of fangs sinking into her forearm. She knew what he was doing, but she couldn't look and kept her mind on Mick. He would save her from this, he always did; her guardian angel.

Time stood still and before she knew what was happening she felt the fangs leave her, hearing a crash in the space around her. Slowly she opened her eyes to see not her guardian angel but Oscar, her new protector. He stood naked with his back to her focusing his attention on TJ who with his blue/white eyes and blood dripping fangs seemed more menacing than before.

"If you didn't want to share, you should have told her...You interrupted my meal." He stood from the floor across the room where Oscar had thrown him.

"You know she's hands off! She is not one of your meals, she is under my protection." Oscar was vamped, his stance like a fighter ready for anything.

"She was offering," TJ retorted with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Bullshit, you thralled her like one of your yokes. Your blood slaves" Oscar spat out the word "What happened to you?"

"What happened to me?" TJ gave a piercing laugh, "I adapted, you have to learn to let loose and live my friend. Come on she is quiet scrumptious, rare flavor too."

"You disgust me."

TJ snarled, "This is my place, you no longer give the orders. TJ dove for Oscar. Oscar grabbed TJ close locking his arms around the torso while TJ propelled them into the wall. Beth barely even registered what was going on.

"BETH!! Move to the corner." Oscar yelled out as they slid to a stop. TJ shoved back, tripping Oscar. Growling he picked himself back up and lunged at TJ. They both started to roll on the floor, snarling as each tried to get a better grip. In the flurry of motion Oscar scrambled to his feet and lifted TJ up, feet in the air and head pointing to the floor below. Oscar lunged to his knees, bringing TJ's head down as well. TJ snarled and pushed back into Oscar, sending him back words. Beth stood back and watched, her eyes wide, she was still in shock from TJ's rape of her blood and her mind was desperately trying to process the scene before her

Oscar finally rolled so he had TJ's head between his legs slowly squeezing down.

"You've become like them…" TJ choked out. "WEAK!" The sound of bone breaking started to drown out TJ's voice.

"Not weak, better, and I was never like you!" Oscar squeezed his powerful legs harder and snapped TJ's neck. The sound caused Beth to look away and her eyes closed tight.

Oscar looked around for a weapon. He needed one before TJ had time to heal. Finding none, he quickly stood and speed to the kitchen. A quick search turned up a machete and he returned just as Beth opened her eyes. He twirled the weapon in his hand and then brought it down on TJ's neck. Beth didn't say a word; she just looked at the lifeless, headless body, and then slowly focused on Oscar.

Oscar looked up from his fight; Beth continued to be silent. (Delete it repeats a sentence above hadn't said a word the whole time.) Turning her he could hear her heart still beating rapidly as she stood silently in shock. Her arm still hung at her side bleeding he quickly jerked the curtain from the canopy and ripped off a long strand wrapping it tightly around her wound. She wasn't responding, he had seen shock too many times before.

He pulled his disposable phone from his pants and quickly dialed the cleaner, thankfully each area kept the same 800 dispatch number. He called in the information and hung up, he needed to get Beth out of here. "Beth, we have to go," Oscar tried to get through to her as he tied the bandage more securely.

Beth blinked back tears as she looked down to what Oscar was doing then to the room around them. It was no use the tears fell, poured actually as the thoughts raced through her mind like a living nightmare. TJ biting her, feeding from her as she stood their quietly and let him. Betraying Mick like that, letting another mark her, to take what she had given to Mick with love. "Mick… oh, god, Mick."

Oscar knew what was going on in her head, it didn't take an expert. He wrapped his arms around her to keep her upright as she began to fall to her knees, holding her up into his strong arms he told her she was okay and pulled her out of the room.

*****

After crying herself into a sleep (when there were no more tears) after having run out of tears, Beth opened her eyes once more to see they were driving again in yet another new car. She looked around quickly to see the flowers blooming and the green leaves of spring as the sun swept over the wet dewy foliage making it glisten.

Beth looked down to see her arm which Oscar had cleaned and re-bandaged with gauze. Oscar reached into the backseat and pulled a bottle of OJ from the cooler behind the seat and handed it to her. "Drink this."

Beth took the offered bottle and drank, trying to keep the images from filling her mind every second she closed her eyes. Oscar could feel the levels of guilt washing over her until he was unable to take it, "Beth, why do you feel guilty?"

Beth played with the cap and she screwed it on and off, before looking up to Oscar. "I let that… that… I let him feed from me. I didn't try and stop him. I let him mark me." Her words were muffled as she began to sob once more.

"Beth, listen to me, you didn't have a choice. He used his allure on you."

Beth stopped sobbing for a moment sniffling, "His what?"

"Vampires have allure. We can make you… want to feed us, lure you into a relationship. We don't control you, but we seduce our food..." Oscar grunted _"parasit"_ - the accent was German, but the meaning was clear

Beth sat in silence, taking in all of what Oscar had just said. She wondered idly if Mick had ever used his allure on her before, had Oscar. What was real and what was an illusion Beth tried to play back ever moment of Mick in her mind looking for some sign of feeling like she had when TJ had taken what was not his to take.

"You have to practice to know how to use it, Beth, and you have to like it. You know Mick… would he influence you like that?"

Beth gave a watery laugh, thinking about all of Mick's fears of hurting her and how she had to demand that he feed on her. "No, I don't think he would."

He sensed his words help ease her some. She went back to staring out the window the blank and oblivious Beth was back, he knew what she needed but it wasn't safe for her to see Mick again. Maybe he could give her something though…

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	3. Chapter 3

MLMLMLMLML

Mick looked down the street at Aces Pawn shop, finding a building that was high enough and downwind had been challenging. Word had it that a vampire owned the place but infrared vision had only shown humans leaving or entering the place. Lots of long narrow packages, the kind that Lee Harvey Oswald would have said contained "curtain rods."

It was easy to separate the Legion customers from the man or woman on the street who were in the market for an unlicensed handgun. Tonight he was able to set up the directional microphone, the Santa Anna winds had quieted. Focusing the mic on the customer, _this was unusual_ the driver was waiting in the car; usually the Legion thugs went inside in pairs. Either they didn't trust each other, or they were like girls and had to do everything together. Mick listened.

"Johnny, you look like shit."

"It's Gianni, I don't care what you think I look like… I'm trying to watch the Lakers. In fact I'm closed. I'm going home."

"GE-anni, Johnny whatever, you sleep in the back… Ok, it's a commercial already, we need more ammunition."

"You can get that at Wal-Mart."

"You know what I mean…"

"I tell you what I tell everyone, silver melts at three times the temperature of lead. I make bullets like fine jewelry… come back next week. It's not even werewolf season yet."

"Always a joker, we have enough ammo for werewolf season and even we can load shotgun shells."

"You still have some, or I would have heard about you using it.

"We need more; three rounds aren't enough for Kostan and his security."

"I'm out of the compound, but maybe if the price is right I can get more."

Mick grinds his teeth at the memory of being darted with the "cure," the event that let him love Beth and took her away from him. He could close the distance between the motel roof and pawn shop in seconds…_ predatory rage and narrow vision…_ Mick lost track of the conversation.

Mick can hear Gianni's sickly laugh, "My supplier says make an offer and if you're going after Kostan… price it accordingly."

Mick thinks, it's going to take more than just him to unravel this; to find Gianni's supplier and track the Legion… _Will Josef see things my way?_ Mick makes a note of the plate and hopes that it's not a dead end. That tonight he will be able to tail these guys somewhere other than an airport rental car drop in the middle of the night.

MLMLMLMLML

"I don't get it…" Logan was shaking his head sitting at Mick's desk. "It _should_ work."

"Did you change the battery?" Mick offered from the couch. Logan shot him a look of disgust and Mick just shrugged his shoulders.

"It has power." Logan rolled his eyes. "Without tearing the thing apart, I can't make it work!"

Mick released a frustrated sigh, "Do we know what kind of frequency it works on?"

"Again… Not without tearing it open… and I mean I would have to _tear_ it open." Logan sits back in the chair and folds his hands.

Mick rubs his forehead. He had placed a lot of hope in this thing. His phone began to ring in his pocket. Talbot was calling and Mick could hear the agitation in his voice.

_"I need to talk to you… now."_

"Meet me at my place downtown." Mick ended the call. "Ben's coming over."

Logan nodded, still poking around the device, "This piece goes over the ear, but IT doesn't transmit sound? And this part… you said you pulled out of the guys shirt?" Mick nodded. "…it sticks to the skin, but I can't tell if it has a purpose other then to hold the dang thing in place, and the brain of this gadget… I don't know… you won't let me look inside it." He gave Mick a hopeful look…

"No."

"Who's Ben?" His mind seemed to do a rewind to a conversation Logan had ignored.

"Ah… Beth's boss."

"Oh… Ben Talbot."

"You know him?" Mick raised his eyebrows.

"I get around, I know things, I'm a social creature too, just 'cause you don't see me leave my basement… often, doesn't mean…"

Mick rolled his eyes.

Logan continued, "I _do_ have friends too, living ones, that I see in real life…"

Mick cut him off, "So you heard Josef talking about him?"

Logan clamped his jaw shut, looked around the floor and slowly nodded.

Ben was about to knock on the loft door when the door to the office swung open. Beyond Mick some techno geek with curly hair was fidgeting with something electronic. _Did that guy just flash me the Vulcan, live long and prosper sign... or is it V for vampire... shit, I'm losing it._  
"That's Logan, he's ok." Mick looked over a tense Talbot, and noted his elevated heart rate.

"The Legion wants me to have another face to face meeting with them. I can't tell them where Beth is... they want to know about you. They've seen us meet."

"Heh," Mick smiles a grim and satisfied smile.

Talbot thinks, _If anyone saw that look, they'd believe in vampires._

"Tell them the truth; you're covering up the relationship of vamps to the runaways and prostitutes who've been killed. Ask them if they want that exposed or are the just interested in killing vamps."

"I don't think if I could pull off your dead-man-walking attitude, Mick." Talbot says straightening up a bit. "I can be outraged," Talbot corrects himself, "I am outraged over the killings." He nods over to Logan, "is that what you were talking about? What you found in Alaska?"

"What!" Logan looks alarmed and moves out from behind the desk, leaving the device. "Who's being killed by vamps? Do I know them?"

Talbot looks at Logan like a suspect, "Hey, I've had to scrounge like any other vampire, but no one should die. I don't drink fresh anymore."

"You're the second vampire to say that to me." Talbot turns his attention to the device on the table and casually picks it up.

"Don't do that, dude!"

"What did I just mess with your Tri-corder, Wesley Crusher?"

"Whoa! What did you do?" Logan approached Ben like he was a time bomb.

"Nothing… I just picked it up."

Logan turned to Mick, "…he must have pressed a button… to turn it on."

"There's no button… here," Talbot puts the device back on the desk and it goes dead.

"Shit!" Logan picks up the now dead device and looks back at Ben with a scowl, then begins to smile at him.

"What?" Ben and Mick ask in unison.

"Bioelectromagnetism!" Logan proclaimed. Mick and Ben looked at each other.

"What are you talking about Logan, Bio-what?

"You know, biorhythms, electrophysiology," Logan looked at the two blank faces. "It runs on your body's energy, man! Your human energy!"

Ben looked at Mick and raised his eyebrows. Mick shook his head, and mouthed _"clever"_.

"Man I need to borrow you," Logan began directing Ben towards the computer. Ben shot a pleading look towards Mick, "He's harmless…. Really."

Mick's phone began to ring again, this time with an unknown caller.

MLMLMLMLML

One Republic – Apologize

Beth's hand trembled as she waited for Mick to answer his phone. She was overwhelmed by her guilt. Oscar had told her over and over it was the allure. But to Beth it felt the same as cheating. Her heart stopped the moment Mick answered.

"St. John…" She closed her eyes tight the tears falling as she tried to swallow a sob.

"Mick…" She covered her eyes and pulled her legs to her chest wanting to crawl inside herself. _How could this have happened?_

"Beth?" Every alarm inside Mick's head went off. Her voice sounded small, something was terribly wrong. "Beth, are you okay?" Mick turned away from Logan and Ben, walking to the main part of his loft out of hearing range. Mick's breathing increased involuntarily as he sensed Beth was in danger.

"You know I love you, right?" She choked the words out, her fear and need to tell him was overwhelming her.

"Of course I do… Beth, what's wrong? What happened?" He could feel his anger building. _Why is she crying?_ He started to pace back and forth in front of his couch, he looked around waiting for her to answer.

"I… A vampire fed from me… I don't know what happened. I… I was standing there, and talking and then... and… I… Oscar said it was… allure... Mick, I'm sorry, please, forgive me, please… I didn't want to, everything in my head was telling him to stop, nothing came out, I thought of you and then Oscar came in and then… I… I'm sorry." She started to sob harder and Mick's eyes iced over and his fangs elongated. It took all he had not to demand to know where she was. He closed his eyes and focused his thoughts.

"Oscar… Oscar's right… Allure, it's… It's like mind control. You, you don't have a say in what's going on. Beth, there's nothing to forgive… You didn't know. I love you, Beth." Beth hiccupped through her sobs as she listened to Mick's voice.

"You… you're not angry?" She said quietly, her voice still shaking.

"Of course not, baby, not at you… You're… You're safe now though, right?" His voice was as gentle as he could make it as Mick felt the sting of tears and a lump in his throat. He placed his hand against the wall and leaned forward. His heart was aching for Beth again. _When would this all be over?_

Beth nodded yes before she spoke. "Yes… I'm okay, it's just…" Her voice drifted off. Mick could feel his heart break for her, her pain was making her lose focus. He turned to look at Talbot and Logan again and he realized, normal, she needed normal.

"I ah… Would you believe Talbot and I have been going for drinks?" He forced a smile and a chuckle as he heard her giggle a little in return.

"Mick, I... I look like a kid in an Emo band." She looked at her clothes and her wrist, her stomach lurched. Mick's gentle laugh made her snap back to his voice.

"I bet you look beautiful even as an Emo wannabe." Beth smiled and even blushed a little as she listened to Mick's rich voice."I'm still at Josef's, Dad won't let me move out." Beth's laugh brightened a little through the sting of her tears.

"I love you, I love you… so much. And I miss you." Beth tears started again as she leaned her head into her hand.

"I love you too. And I miss you, God, I miss you…" Mick's voice broke as tears started down his face.

Oscar looked at Beth and then took the phone from her to speak to Mick.

"She's fine, just shook up. I reassured her she had done nothing wrong." Mick fought back a growl and then straightened completely.

"Did you...?" He pinched the bridge of his nose, his anger and need for blood almost too much.

"Of course, I took care of it." Oscar said through his usual cold and reassuring voice.

"Good. Keep her safe, Oscar. I need her back." Mick hung up his phone, wiping his nose with his thumb. He swallowed and then went back over to Logan, his mind desperately needed to focus on the job of fighting the Legion…

MLMLMLMLML

_I stand looking over a city that is quietly raging a war. Sides are being drawn and I worry that the casualties we suffer will ultimately be too great._

I've spent the past twenty three years shielding Beth from my world, protecting her from the darkness and evil that lays within. And I found out today not only has she seen it, she's suffered at the hands of it. And worse, I wasn't there to protect her from it. I've been pulled from a role that I felt was only mine, and now I'm forced to depend on another.

I worry, worry to how she'll see me from now on, and how much more will it cost us, how much of her innocence and humanity will be taken away.

I see Talbot, once just a hard edged lawyer, now as someone who witnessed a murder as a child who now knows that the term "MONSTERS" doesn't only apply to drug lords and rapists. He's been exposed to our world in more ways than one and now is dealing with its addictive side.

I long to have Beth back, to be able to go back to where things used to be. But I also fear what is to come when this is finally over.

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End file.
